Recycling Plastic our Responsibility

Waste disposal habits in Jamaica are generally underdeveloped. As evidence, one can simply take a look at the island’s gullies, which were meant solely for drainage purposes, and see how they are being used by nearby communities for dumping. This particular action has had a hazardous effect on the diverse environment of Jamaica; an environment which includes from: mountainous rainforest, plains of limestone and woodlands to dry semi-arid lands, rivers, waterfalls and coral reef lined beaches Which makes it all the more important for every Jamaican to take up the responsibility to take whatever action they can daily to preserve their immediate surroundings. Of course, the onus should be on the government and subsequently local corporations to set the example by putting in place proposals and programs that will inform and inspire the Jamaican public to follow suit.

Being an unofficial part of several recycling initiatives over the years, we at Elevate, always talked of being more involved in the preservation of the environment but never took the next step of actually being involved in any named project. That was until 2019 when, on a whim, our creative director began to separate the plastic bottles that he used in garbage bags, separate from his usual refuse pile. This, initially innocent, action soon became an office wide project, with everyone becoming indoctrinated in what is now regarded as strict office policy. However, what became obvious was the sheer number of bottles being used on a daily basis by employees and visitors to the workplace.

Elevate houses just under 20 individuals on a day to day basis. So, to see bags and bags of plastics bottles stacked up after just a week, it wouldn’t be hard to juxtapose our collective output to the projected plastic bottle output of a street, community, town and subsequently the entire nation. In all Elevate has collected more than 20 large bags of plastic bottles to be recycled. Not a small feat! However, there is still much more to do as we certainly cannot do this alone. So, we are challenging all who read this article to spread the word, follow our lead and be mindful of where you dispose of your plastic bottles. Remember one bold move on your part could inspire many others to do the same. Jamaica, Land We Love deserves the best from all of us to preserve this paradise for future generations.